Comments on: How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections

on 4/30/2008 I just wanted to let everyone know that Cystex®, the over-the-counter urinary pain reliever, just revamped its Web site with useful and practical information about the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs). If you currently have a UTI or seem to experience recurrent episodes, check out www.cystex.com for up-to-date information about this condition, possible causes, common misconceptions about UTIs and even a “public restroom finder” to find a clean, usable restroom in your city. The Web site also has a blog called the “Cystex® Ladies Room” authored by top urologists to help answer readers’ personal questions. Now here’s an excellent health resource for UTI sufferers…

on 12/23/2007 Best thing I've read so far: http://www.helium.com/tm/710795/misery-urinary-tract-infection

on 10/25/2006 The active ingredient in cranberry juice is a simple sugar refered to as D-Mannose. It coats the cillia of the bacteria that cause UTI's so they can't grip on to the walls of your bladder. It comes in capsule form and can be found at most food co-ops/healthfood stores. It's more effective than drinking cranberry juice because it's concentrated and there's only about 5 calories in 2 capsules.
Because it's a sugar, you can't really overdose on it and you can take it everyday.
I also use goldenseal as an antibacterial and this works literally in just a few hours. It should only be used in small doses and for only up to 1 week.

on 8/8/2006 I've had 2 UTIs in the past 5 months. The first one I went to the doctor and got antibiotics, then I felt like I had another one about 2 months later and decided to give cranberry juice a shot. Honestly, I didn't it would help, but it did. At the first symptoms of a UTI, get about a gallon of cranberry juice and drink the whole thing within a day and you will start to feel better. I'm so glad it worked for me, I don't have health insurance and it cost me about $90 for a doctor visit and the meds with my first one.

on 1/23/2006 I also used to take Cystex and lots of water and cranberry juice. Just three days ago I was released from the hospital with a kidney infection because I did not get antibiotics for my UTI. I was hospitalized for four days (through Christmas day) and I was miserable. I felt like I was going to die. Please do not make this mistake and get help as soon as you realize you have a UTI problem. Believe me, it is not worth all you will experience if you do not take care of it. I am now on antibiotics and have been told by the doctors at the hospital that I will most likely feel badly for weeks to come.

on 1/16/2006 I went to a specialist this year who recommended cutting back to one coffee drink a day and no orange juice at all. Although this article suggests drinking citrus to keep urine acidic, this is actually a bad idea because orange juice is a bladder irritant. So is caffeine and alcohol. You should never drink caffeine or alcohol during the course of a UTI.

As for taking OTC pain medications for UTIs, I think this is dangerous because it masks symptoms and does not rid your urinary tract of bacteria. I usually don't use these because they keep me from realizing whether the antibiotics are working or whether I'm getting a kidney infection. On the other hand, when I haven't been able to access antibiotics, I have been able to flush the UTI out simply by drinking massive amounts of water.

on 11/22/2005 I got a bladder infection 4 times this year. I didn't have insurance, so I couldn't visit a doctor. I took over the counter pills, Cystex and Uristat, and made sure to drink tons and tons of water and cranberry juice. The pain goes away with the first pills taken. Of course antibiotics are always first choice, but Cystex works wonders!

on 11/22/2005 Sodas are fine as long as you avoid canned sodas.

on 11/22/2005 I have switched to Dove for sensitive skin, and I also use it on my daughters.

on 11/22/2005 Perfumed soaps can cause problems if not rinsed away carefully. Ivory soap is best.

on 11/22/2005 Also, an herb called UVA Ursi helps immensely. I'm on supression and I've all but given up my antibiotic. I also gave up sugar and wheat products.